


The Veil

by Daily



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Family, Friendship, NO Canon Character Death, Strong Characters, alternative ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2016-08-30
Packaged: 2018-08-11 23:56:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7912447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daily/pseuds/Daily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if the Veil was not what everyone thought it was and it changed everything?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Veil

The Veil

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters. However, since Rowling discarded my favourite characters I picked them up and took them into my care to give them the love and attention they deserve...and occasionally give them reason to need that love and attention no matter how much they deserve it without needing a reason.

Summary: What if the Veil was not what everyone thought it was and it changed everything?

Warnings: No main character deaths, bromance, a happy ending. Dumbledore, Snape, Fudge and some Hermione bashing.

NOT A PART OF THE A BOND OF FAMILY SERIES!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The moment Sirius was hit by Bellatrix' second jet of red light, Harry let go of Neville, letting his classmate stumble without the aid of his support.

But he didn't even really notice; watching with a clenched heart as Sirius' body gracefully bend backwards as he fell through the ragged Veil hanging from the arch right behind where his godfather had been fighting; his expression a mixture of shock and sudden calm.

He wasn't aware he was running towards the archway, where his godfather had disappeared through, screaming his name until strong arms grabbed him around the waist, preventing him from reaching Sirius.

"Let me go, Sirius...Sirius!"

His heart hammered in his throat as his godfather didn't respond to his frantic calling and struggled as Lupin yanked him back against his chest.

"Sirius is alive, but you can't go after him," Lupin' words stilled Harry's struggle and he turned in the hold to look up to him.

"What...why isn't he responding?"

"He can't, but I promise you that he is alive and will be fine," Remus' voice was filled with so much certainty that Harry automatically believed him and as he nodded they both suddenly noticed the lack of sound around them.

Turned, Harry was surprised to see the Death Eaters all standing seemingly frozen like unmoving dolls and all of them staring towards the archway with glassy eyes.

Bellatrix was mere feet from them; staring at the archway with the same glassy expression of shock and disbelief as Neville slammed into her from the side; seemingly not realising things had changed as he used his still floundering legs to knock her down against the stone.

But even he didn't miss the fact that she gave no reaction and he scrambled back from her unmoving form blinking rapidly while Kingsley and Remus swiftly pulled all the Death Eaters together in the middle of the room and bound them; taking their wands away.

Harry made his way over to Neville; helping him up as it was clear the battle had been over the moment Sirius disappeared and while Moody crawled forward to check on Tonks' unconscious form, Harry turned to Lupin. "What's happening?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but I think this is Sirius' doing," Lupin muttered, looking around as Neville's legs suddenly stilled and Luna appeared at the other side of the room, smiling relieved as she noticed they were unharmed.

Beams of soft blue light were slowly travelling around from the Veil to everyone in the room; but as they didn't seem to be harming anyone, Harry ignored them for the time being.

"Is the Veil doing this for that man; Sirius Black?" Neville shakily rose to his feet now that they were no longer kicking out and Harry realised his nose had been healed as well as he spoke clearly again.

He also suddenly realised that his friend had followed him without truly knowing what was going on, both him and Luna; and a wave of gratitude for them washed over him as Luna reached them, looking unharmed.

"I believe so," Lupin stared at the archway. "He went beyond the Veil with a tortured but pure soul; the Veil must have decided to help him protect us from those who had been out to harm us while he is there."

"What exactly is the Veil?" Harry softly asked, unable to look away from the slowly moving thin curtain, intrigued how it could move despite there not being any wind and he could still hear soft murmuring coming from behind it.

"Unknown," Moody provided as he rose to his feet, his head no longer bleeding and in the process of reattaching his magical eye that Harry had been quite sure had been rolling around during the battle just minutes ago. "It has been here for as long as the Ministry exists, but no one knows exactly what it does or is despite decades of studies."

"Sirius says it's a place of healing," Lupin shook his head. "He and Pandora studied it after Sirius found references to it in the ancient Black library at Black Manor, dating all the way back to Merlin's time."

"I thought only Unspeakables could enter here? Doe she need medical attention?" Kingsley asked; nodding to Tonks' unconscious form.

"She's fine, just unconscious," Moody assured him. "And Sirius was an Unspeakable; at least he was training to be one. Did he ever get his papers?"

Harry blinked surprised, realising uncomfortably that he had never asked what Sirius had done during the war and he didn't really know what the job entitled either. There was so much he didn't know about his godfather and had never thought to ask.

All their conversations and interactions were usually either about him or Sirius answering questions and telling him stories about his parents and Harry realised he actually knew very little about his godfather himself.

A flash of guilt shot through him at that realisation and he vowed he would do everything he could to truly get to know his godfather properly when all of this was over.

"I don't know, to be honest. I was on missions a lot so we didn't speak much in the months before..." Lupin trailed off as he spotted a beam of soft blue light that came towards him, relieving Harry as they all looked up now to see them and both Kingsley and Lupin raised their wands; though Moody simply looked at it interested.

"Don't, they are here to help," Luna stopped them, reaching up to brush against one of the beams as it passed her, the light brightening in response for a moment. "They healed me and Ginny and are seeking any lasting injuries now."

"Same thing healed me as well, I don't think it means any harm," Moody admitted.

"Where is Ginny?" Neville asked as the two men slowly withdrew their wands again, Kingsley eyeing the beams distrustful as it travelled to Lupin and watched intently as it danced around him for a moment before disappearing into him.

Lupin blinked surprised, a small smile forming on his lips at the contact but he shook his head as he caught Kingsley's frown to let him know he was all right.

"In the other room, we went to check on Ron and Hermione and she decided to stay with them while I went to see what was happening," Luna said.

A mixture of relief at knowing his friends were all right and guilt for leading them into danger washed over Harry, but neither Neville nor Luna seemed concerned by his actions as they watched the blue beams slowly disappear after once more passing over and disappearing into Tonks' unconscious form.

"So Professor, Mister Black studied the Veil and says it is a place of healing?" Neville suddenly looked uncomfortable as he turned to Lupin.

"The Veil is a death trap," Kingsley contradicted, ignoring Lupin's weak reply of not being a Professor any more while he eyed the Death Eaters tied together warily and confused. "At least, the Unspeakables always claimed it was an one-way doorway to the land of the death, and those who are alive as they pass it are immediately killed. Those who have lost loved ones are apparently able to hear voices coming from behind the curtain, but they cannot pass."

"The Unspeakables are wrong," Lupin disagreed even as Harry's heart surged as he knew he and Luna could both hear voices. "I don't understand what the Veil is per se, but Sirius insisted that it is a place of healing. He's rarely been wrong with his research before and I don't believe he is now."

"If he truly was an Unspeakable, he shouldn't have been allowed to talk about it, would he be?" Neville asked as Harry absent-mindedly rubbed at his scar; a tingling pain forming there even though he knew there was no danger now, soothed by the utter conviction in Lupin's words to remind himself that Sirius would indeed be fine.

"He didn't after he began his official training as an Unspeakable, but he spoke about it while still at Hogwarts. He thought the Veil would be able to help victims of the war, help people in general."

"Help them with what?" Moody asked.

"He and Pandora weren't very clear on what they were researching but they seemed to think they could heal torture victims and lycanthropy."

"If that is so, then why wouldn't the other Unspeakables have brought it out to help people? So many people were hurt in the war..."

"Because there is a catch to it," Luna softly interrupted Moody and he turned to her. "I found and read Mum's journals and she described the Veil now and then and mentioned how only those pure of heart would be able to enter and return again. Everyone else would indeed be killed upon entrance."

"But would Sirius be able to return then?" Kingsley frowned.

"He would," surprisingly it was Moody who spoke up and not Lupin. "His mind and soul were damaged in Azkaban, but not by his own doing. Sirius has always been a good person."

"I know he is a good person, but there is a difference between being a good person and a good person," Kingsley turned to the Veil.

"You haven't know Sirius the way we do," Moody said. "If any of us here is worthy of returning from what Remus believes that thing is, it will be Sirius. And I believe him as the Veil is clearly helping us now, it would not do that if it wasn't helping Sirius heal."

"What does that mean exactly, heal him?" Neville asked in a tight voice.

"His mind and body were damaged by the prolonged exposure to the Dementors. I suspect it will heal what it can of his mind; allowing him to fully function again without his magic being corrupted by trauma," Lupin blinked. "What is wrong with Dumbledore?"

Harry felt his ears burn as he was the only other one who seemed surprised to see their Headmaster stand motionless in the middle of the room, frozen like all the other Death Eaters.

"I don't know. I couldn't get him to react at all so I just left him for the moment as he didn't appear to be in any danger," Kingsley swallowed. "But if what you are saying is right and the Veil froze all those who it considered to be an enemy to Sirius..."

"He couldn't be, could he?" Moody ran a hand through his hair. "He is the leader of the light. Why would the Veil see him as a threat to Sirius?"

"Perhaps because he did not enforce a trial for him?" Kingsley offered. "When I was originally put onto the Black case, procedure demanded that I looked into his background to try and find any clues to his whereabouts. But no matter how deeply I dug, I could not find a trial transcript and I realised he might not have had one at all."

"He didn't," Harry confirmed. "He told me, Ron and Hermione last year while he was hiding near Hogwarts and we discussed Crouch's absence. He was thrown into Azkaban without ever even being questioned on what had happened."

"Yes, I was afraid of that," Kingsley sighed. "I should have asked him about it; but it never seemed like the right time to bring it up as that house made him so miserable already and Dumbledore never had time when I tried to talk to him about it."

"As the Chief Warlock, Professor Dumbledore would have been required to preside at Sirius' trial and would therefore have known he had not received one," Luna explained. "And since he did not enforce one despite that knowledge, the Veil might see it as a threat to him?"

"That would make sense," Lupin looked stricken all of a sudden. "I never thought about it, but Dumbledore would have known Sirius hadn't received a trial, even if the rest of us believed it had just been held in privacy due to the impact it had on the light side."

"If he knowingly withheld a trial, he was acting against the law and condemned a human being to Azkaban without his guilt being proven," Kingsley frowned. "Even the worst of the Death Eaters received a trial, no matter how clean cut their cases were."

"Everyone deserves a trial," Neville mumbled, making Harry swallow thickly as he remembered Bellatrix Lestrange had been the one to torture the boy's parents and still received a trial and he squeezed his shoulder in comfort, getting a watery smile in gratitude.

"Then why did Professor Dumbledore withhold it?"Luna was surprisingly perceptive when her head was not in the clouds and Harry nodded his agreement.

"Even if it had been a very unfortunate mixture of events that let Sirius slip through the folds of the law, then why did he not ensure he had a trial two years ago," Lupin mused. "He was made aware that Sirius was innocent then and could have put him under his jurisdiction until a trial could be given."

"He would have had the authority for that," Kingsley confirmed. "So why did he allow an innocent party to have to run again despite that?"

"I don't know, but I don't like the implications," Moody growled, looking increasingly angrier at the turn of the conversation and he stalked towards Dumbledore, only to return moments later with the man's wand. "Until we have gotten to the bottom of this, he will be treated as the others."

"You want to take Dumbledore into custody?" Lupin's eyes widened in shock at Moody's grim expression. "Merlin..."

"Let's hope I am just being paranoid and there is actually a very good explanation for this because I am suddenly seeing a whole lot of things in a different light with this seed of doubt in my mind," Moody' expression darkened even more as both Kingsley and Lupin' paled in apparent realisation.

"It couldn't be..." Kingsley swallowed but Neville's soft whisper of his name made Harry tune them out as he saw a light blue beam travel directly to him.

The burning of his scar vaporised the moment the warm and soft light touched him and Harry blinked surprised at how familiar the light felt to him.

"What...the pain's gone."

"So is your scar," Luna noted surprised and Lupin, Kingsley and Moody shifted to look at him, their current conversation halted immediately.

"Well, I'll be...how..."

But Harry didn't have eyes for them any more as when Moody shifted, a man appeared in the archway of the Veil and once more he wasn't aware he had been moving until warm arms wrapped around him as he bodily slammed into his godfather, throwing his arms around him with a choked sob.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to return, pup," Sirius' voice was softer and deeper than normal, no longer scratchy and rough; and through his clothes, Harry was surprised to feel the much more healthy form of the man he had wrapped his arms around.

It felt like forever that they stood there, Sirius holding onto him just as tightly as he was until Harry could finally bring himself to pull back and look at his godfather properly.

The lingering haunted gaze that Harry had always hated was completely gone out of a surprisingly handsome, healthy and young face, unmarked by the years in Azkaban; like they had never even happened.

A dozen different replies ran through his head as he stared at his godfather; all wittier than the other but eventually all that he managed to bring out was another sob and Sirius pulled him back into his arms for a long moment.

"You look well," Harry couldn't help but nod; agreeing wholeheartedly with Moody's words as he pulled back once more; unable to stop staring at the healthy face, framed by dark hair falling just into the man's eyes and curling to just below his ears.

The man looked incredibly much like he had done in the single photo Harry had of him at his parents' wedding; just a few years older.

Sirius smiled warmly at movement behind Harry and Harry automatically stepped to the side as Lupin silently pulled Sirius into a desperate hug; much like the one the two had shared in the Shrieking Shack.

Watching the two pull back after a moment; he noticed for the first time just how young both men truly still were and Sirius seemed to radiate as he grinned while reaching out to touch Lupin's cheek; one Harry only now realised was unblemished by long ugly scars.

"Your face," Kingsley breathed out, amazed and Lupin blinked surprised as he reached up to touch his own skin.

"Moony is gone, and so are the wounds left by him," Sirius wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulder seemingly unconsciously as he stepped back, pulling him against his side and Harry automatically wrapped an arm around Sirius' waist in return, happy to be in close contact to his godfather like this.

"W-what? How?" Lupin blinked; an array of emotions flashing across his face before it settled on stunned disbelief.

"I asked the Veil to heal those who have been wronged so much and she has agreed to my request. Moony is completely gone," Sirius could've just as well been talking about the weather with how serene he looked and sounded; clearly still under the effects of whatever the Veil had done for him. "So is the Horcrux in Harry's scar."

"The what?!" Moody startled, horror sliding over his expression as he turned to Harry even as the others shifted confused, but Sirius' expression didn't change.

"All of Riddle's Horcruxes are gone. I realised he had made at least two a few months ago and had been working on how many there might be and how to safely destroy them," Sirius explained. "But the Veil promised me she could destroy them all without a problem as they are not part of the natural world order and it was endangering the one closest to my heart. She swore that no harm would come to you and it didn't."

"The Veil spoke to you? It told you it could destroy them?" Both of Moody's eyes were wide as Sirius nodded, though Harry couldn't help but be more affected by Sirius' words about his place in his life. His heart swelled in happiness at how the man stated Harry's place as if it was a fact and not utterly amazing.

"What is a Horcrux?" Neville's question put a small damper on Harry's happiness as he realised he'd been focusing on the wrong thing.

"A piece of soul ripped from the main soul and locked into an object of your choosing for safekeeping. It is very dark magic and requires a murder and a ritual to succeed," Sirius answered, his arm tightening around Harry's shoulder as if he could feel him pale at the realisation he had been one of those.

"H-how..."

"In your scar. I think it was made accidentally the night he attacked you when you were a baby," Sirius' strong hold around his shoulders was the only thing that kept Harry upright as things suddenly made a whole lot more sense.

Being able to feel Voldemort's moods, sense his presence and being able to speak Parseltongue, it all made sense if he'd had a piece of Voldemort's soul in his forehead and he suddenly felt physically ill.

"Dumbledore knew...he...things he said. He said I am a Parselmouth, because Voldemort was one...I think he knew," desperately he looked up to Sirius, whose expression darkened slightly.

"He said you were a Parselmouth because Voldemort was one?"

"That is seriously all you got from that?" Kingsley gasped even as Harry's stomach clenched painfully, remembering how most wizards reacted to that.

"It's the most important thing. I already know Dumbledore withheld a lot of information from us so I'm not surprised about that. What I am surprised about is that he seemed to believe you are a Parselmouth due to Voldemort while he is perfectly aware I am one as well."

"You...what?" Surprised Harry blinked up to his godfather. "You are a Parselmouth?"

"Descendant of Salazar Slytherin. Unfortunately I inherited the one trait that no one else of the Blacks did. If you are a Parselmouth, then that is because of my genes, not Voldemort's soul piece, though it might explain why his soul latched onto you instead of trying to find a better host as I doubt he would have wanted a living Horcrux," Sirius mused, seemingly unaware of everyone's utter shock at the revelation, only Lupin clearly had been aware.

"Your genes? What do your genes have to do with Potter being a Parselmouth?" Moody frowned. "You and James were only distant cousins, were you not?"

"Technically I was adopted into the Potter family but I also blood-adopted Harry right after he was born to make him my heir. It's why his hair is two shades darker than James' had been and he's got my general build instead of being more muscled like the Potters generally were. And apparently he also inherited that unfortunate trait."

That was actually something Harry had been aware of, so he wasn't as surprised by that revelation and he smiled up to Sirius as the other winced apologetic.

"If I inherited the trait from you, then I don't mind it so much. You never told me, though," Harry accused his godfather mock-angrily.

"Habit, I suppose. I've spent every moment hiding that piece of information after discovering it in second year. My friends knew and Dumbledore found out in the war, but I mostly kept it hidden to prevent being treated even more differently than I already was. Being able to talk and understand snakes is not generally something you let others know unless you want to be shunned."

"That's what happened when everyone at school realised Harry was a Parselmouth," Neville nodded. "They suddenly shunned him, just because he was suddenly different."

"You'll have to tell me all about that some time later at a more appropriate time," Sirius grumbled. "But to answer your suspicion, yes, I believe Dumbledore knew about the Horcrux you carried."

"Another reason why the Veil might have frozen him along with the others," Kingsley muttered and Sirius' expression darkened.

"We will have to question him under Veritaserum when the time is right."

"Can I ask a question, Mister Black?" Neville asked.

"As long as you never call me Mister Black again and just Sirius, sure," Sirius made a face at the name and Neville flushed as he tried to suppress a chuckle.

"All right, about Horcruxes...why would one make one?"

"To prevent yourself from dying as the piece of soul you've separated ensures you can't truly leave the world as long as it's there. I can't believe..." Moody answered as he rubbed a hand over his face and considered his own words. "Actually, I can. That explains why he's changed so much over the years."

"It does?" Lupin turned to them.

"Your soul becomes unstable if you rip pieces off of it. There are records of the flesh changing as one dabbles in dark magic, this would have the same effect," Sirius confirmed.

"Like how Riddle was good looking as a teen when he was young but now looks like a living corpse?" Harry looked up to his godfather, beaming as he got a barked laugh aimed at him.

"Exactly like that. We all thought his features began to change as he dabbled in extremely dark magic and the making of a Horcrux is extremely dark magic," Sirius took a deep breath. "But they are gone now and we can finally take the fight to him."

"As long as you never repeat this stunt again, I'm all for that," Lupin smiled as he squeezed Sirius' biceps.

"Speaking of stunts, that reminds me," Sirius withdrew from Harry and both Kingsley and Moody automatically stepped aside as Sirius moved forward; only to come to a stop before Luna.

"Your mother asked me to tell you to kick your father and to remind him of his promise. And that you should check out her old desk and use what you find to your own desires, and only your own."

It was an odd thing to say to someone who had clearly lost a loved one, but to Harry's surprise Luna beamed at Sirius as he smiled and he wondered if odd quirkiness was a thing that ran in her family as neither Lupin or Moody seemed surprised by his words.

"Also, she loves you and is proud of you and to never change who you are regardless of what others want you to be, the normal mumbo-jumbo mothers are meant to say, or so she said," Sirius grinned. "Which I second but add to that if someone gives you a hard time you come to me immediately or there will be consequences, little miss."

"I will," Luna's beam only grew as Sirius looked at her sternly for a long moment before he pulled her into a hug and pressed a kiss into her hair.

"The same goes for you, Neville."

"I...uh...all right?" shifting nervously from his position next to Luna, Neville watched as she happily leaned into the hug before pulling back.

"So you met Pandora behind the Veil?" Lupin's voice was soft and shaky as Sirius stepped back to Harry's side again.

"And James, Lily, Mum and Dad as well," the expression on Sirius' face became slightly more solemn, but nowhere near the sadness Harry had come to expect when his parents were mentioned in his godfather's presence as a small smile remained on his lips while he looked down at Harry.

"They love you and are proud of you and the things you've accomplished; things you should be aware of already by now and your Mum asks you to try and work a little harder at staying out of trouble."

"Yeah..." Harry swallowed thickly at the confirmation that his parents truly loved him. "Trouble always seems to find me regardless if I go looking for it or not."

"I know and your father partly blames my genes for your inability to stay out of trouble; so we'll just have to work together to keep ourselves out of it," Sirius smiled warmly before he turned to Lupin. "And James told me to kick you; which I will refrain from doing as I believe you've done enough yourself already and to take care of yourself or you won't be any good at taking care of us and he really expects you to."

"How long were you there?" It occurred to Harry as Lupin swallowed thickly, that the time Sirius had spent behind the Veil had to have been different to their own for him to have both spoken to Luna's mother, his own family and be healed in the short time he had been gone.

"Time doesn't exist there," Sirius' gaze was pulled to the Veil. "The Veil is a sentient being formed by magic itself. She is a gateway and a sanctuary. A place of healing where tortured and damaged minds healed in the time of Merlin by entering a realm away from our world or the next where they could deal with the hurt that had been done to them."

He brushed a hand over Harry's cheek absent-mindedly. "It allows them to be surrounded by their loved ones to help the healing process without breaking the boundaries of life. I might have spent a lifetime there, or just a moment, I don't know, nor do I need to. All I know is that she wouldn't have allowed me to leave a moment before she felt I was ready."

"Do you...I..." Neville stammered, unable to continue as he stared at the Veil, seemingly torn.

"Your parents are in a healing state right now. The Veil reached out to those harmed by the war beyond their own ability to heal and is helping them now," Sirius placed a hand on his shoulder. "They will be ready by the time you are able to travel there and the Veil has agreed to keep them asleep until you can be there to see them wake."

"She...you..." tears formed in Neville's eyes as his expression had snapped to Sirius and Harry felt his heart swell at the pure emotion in his classmate's eyes. "Why would you do that for me?"

"Because your parents are good people and didn't deserve what was done to them. The Veil agreed that they suffered beyond their own doing and deserved to be helped."

"So you were right about the Veil's purpose," Lupin concluded.

"Partly, I was right that it was meant as a place of healing," Sirius shook his head. "But she has also been used as an executioner since the time of Merlin for dark wizards without a chance of redemption."

"And that is the reputation most of the Unspeakables know about and documented," Moody realised. "Why has none of them ever..."

"The Unspeakables know what the Veil is capable of, but have taken a vow to both protect the Veil and prevent her from being abused."

"Like you suspected when you first started researching it," Remus breathed out.

"But if Unspeakables cannot share this information, then how are you telling us all this now?" Harry asked and if Sirius was surprised by Harry's knowledge of what he'd been in the war, he didn't show it.

"She's allowing me to so you can understand. I should warn you, though. You won't be able to speak of this knowledge with anyone else," he looked at Harry. "Not even with Hermione, Ron and Ginny as they don't know."

"We should round them up and get all of them to holding cells before whatever spell has fallen over them ends," Kingsley suggested.

"They'll remain this way until they've been put into holding cells," Sirius revealed. "But we should pick up the other kids as I'm sure they are wondering what's keeping us."

"I'll retrieve them and meet you at the Atrium," Lupin suggested, hurrying off as Sirius nodded. "Let me first repair your robes, though."

Neville looked down at his ripped robes surprised, as if he'd not remember they had gotten ripped.

"We broke the Prophecy," he admitted softly as he fingered the torn fabric.

"It should've been broken a long time ago so that situations such as this could have been prevented," Sirius repaired his robes without a problem and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know it was probably accidental, but you did the right thing."

"Why did they want it so badly?" Harry asked as they made their way to the Atrium while Lupin hurried off to retrieve the others.

"Because Voldemort believes in it lies the key to his victory and your defeat."

"Should we..." Kingsley shared a look with Moody, who shrugged uncertainly.

"We should," Sirius shot him a glare. "This entire situation happened because secrets have been kept. Because people wanted to keep him and his friends in the dark despite knowing what was likely to happen. I should have told you right away what was going on so you could be prepared for something like this to happen."

"I had a vision that you were being tortured," Harry admitted softly as they entered the Atrium. "I tried to contact you, but Kreacher said you were gone...he was cackling with laughter and..."

"Kreacher!" Sirius' expression turned thunderous at Harry's words and with a loud pop the despicable house-elf appeared before them.

"M-master called?" For the first time Kreacher didn't look at Sirius with repulsion or hatred, instead fear was seen in the large eyes as he took the man's appearance in.

"Did you lie to Harry about my whereabouts?"

"Yes, Master."

"Why?"

"Mistress Bellatrix asked Kreacher to do so, to lure him here."

"Explain."

Sirius' expression only darkened as the despicable house-elf told them how he had used his order of "out" during the Christmas Holidays to actually leave the house; how he had gone to Bellatrix' house and been listening to her orders ever since and had created a diversion for Sirius to be distracted when needed so that Harry could be told a lie.

"You were trying to lead your own master to his death?" Kingsley stared at the elf disgusted.

"Master is an ungrateful b-"

"Yeah, yeah, we all know how..." Sirius suddenly cut himself off, shooting off a green spell even as he pushed Harry aside.

Another flash of green light directed at where Sirius and Harry had been moments before was suddenly blocked by Kreacher as the elf suddenly jumped and a loud thud seemed to ring in Harry's ears even as he stumbled to regain his balance and Kreacher fell to his left.

"Are you all right?" Sirius was at his side; gripping his arm before he could lose the fight against gravity and steadied him.

"What...that..." Harry swallowed harshly as it registered that Kreacher wasn't moving any more.

"He's gone, can't hurt you any more," Sirius made an annoyed sound as suddenly voices began to ring out all around them and he tightened his hold on Harry, pulling him to his side while Luna stepped up beside him at the other.

Seemingly instinctively, Neville followed her example and stepped into Sirius' personal space on Harry's right as Kingsley and Moody all stepped before them protectively.

"That...that..." Harry suddenly realised the Atrium was full of people; the floor reflecting the residue of emerald green flames from the fireplaces that had apparently been active moments before.

All the new arrivals were in pyjamas and cloaks, the sight so absurd and normal compared to everything that had happened that he had difficulties suppressing a hysterical laugh.

"That's You-Know-Who," Cornelius Fudge's eyes seemed to almost bulge out of his head as he stared at something and it was only then that Harry saw the other corpse lying on the shining floor, needing a moment before it registered just who it was.

"We've got a few escaped Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries; the Chamber of Death, awaiting their arrest," Kingsley spoke up, greeting Madam Bones, who had immediately stepped forward to check Voldemort's body.

"How?"

"A few of Hogwarts students were lured here in a trap laid out by the Death Eaters, holding their own until we could arrive to help them. The...something happened and Sirius Black managed to detain all of them with some impressive ancient spells so we could round them up," Kingsley left out a lot, but from the small wince in the man's movement Harry knew Sirius had been right that they couldn't speak about the Veil and what they had learned.

"Si...Black...as in escapee Black?" The woman's visible eye widened and she swirled around to them, taking in the sight of three teenagers at Sirius' side both surprised and shocked.

"Arrest him!" Fudge screamed, almost falling over his own legs to scramble back, but no Auror made a move to follow up on his demand as they stared between Voldemort's body and him.

"He killed You-Know-Who," a scarlet-robed man with a ponytail said. "I saw it...The Dark Lord attacked the boy and Black pushed him aside while casting a Killing Curse at him...he saved the boy's life. Why would he..."

"Not an action a Death Eater would take, is it," Moody growled as he twirled his wand between his fingers and Sirius tensed beside Harry.

"No, it's not," Madam Bones' eyes narrowed, but she straightened as her eyes took in the full scene. "Dawlish, Proudfoot; take three others and bring those detained in the Chamber of Death to the holding cells. What exactly is going on here?"

"It is exactly how Auror Shacklebolt said," Sirius cleared his throat. "I heard news that my godson and my charges were in danger so I went after them to try and protect them."

"Your charges?" Bones blinked. "I know Mister Potter is your godson, but how are those other two your charges?"

"I promised Alice and Frank Longbottom and Pandora Lovegood that if anything happened to them, I'd keep an eye on their children. The promise might be a decade old, it still stands to me."

"They won't take you away again, will they Uncle Sirius?" Luna's big grey eyes looked up at Sirius seemingly afraid as she clung to his left side.

"They can't throw you back into Azkaban without a trial again, can they?" Neville added as he reached around Harry to pull on Sirius' sleeve and Harry had to bit his lip to keep from laughing as both of his friends clung to Sirius like they hadn't only just met him for the first time.

From the taken aback reactions of everyone in the hall and the covered amusement in both Kingsley and Moody's expressions, they had clearly not expected it either, but Madam Bones' eyes narrowed even further.

"What do you mean, again? Are you implying you have not retrieved a trial the first time?"

"It is likely," Kingsley spoke up. "I followed standard procedure after being put on his case and no matter how I sought, I could not find any evidence of a trial being given and upon questioning Harry earlier I was able to confirm the absence of it."

Shock rushed over all those present at that revelation and Fudge spluttered. "We all know he is guilty, why are you not arresting him?!"

"You know he is innocent," Harry suddenly couldn't stop himself. "We told you the truth two years ago, after we had confronted him but you refused to listen to us because we were just children. You believed a man with a petty grudge over us and tried to order Sirius to be Kissed despite being made aware of his innocence!"

"Is that true?" Bones turned to Fudge, who turned redder than Ron ever had as he spluttered some more when he noticed everyone in the hallway was staring at him in disbelief.

"He confounded them, it was as clear as day. Severus Snape vouched for it."

"You believed the word of a confirmed Death Eater over something that involved a man who he had hated since childhood?" Moody snorted. "Believed him over the identical stories of three children and their teacher?"

"A werewolf!" Fudge spat.

"So not only is an incompetent idiot the current Minister of Magic; he is also an extreme bigot and a liar to boot?" Sirius sounded disgusted. "Saying someone is a werewolf is a horrible accusation to make; not to mention can have devastating consequences. What happened that such an individual came to be in power?"

"He won the elections," Moody growled.

"Won them fairly or bribed enough people to do so?" Sirius asked, making Harry bite his lip even harder as he remembered seeing the man take money from Lucius Malfoy.

"Well, I saw him take money from Lucius Malfoy one time," Harry spoke up, clarifying his words when Bones looked at him interested. "Mister Weasley and I walked in on them on the day of my trial last summer and I saw him slip coins into his pocket."

"Is that so," Bones hummed as she turned to Fudge and Harry thought it was wiser not to mention he had only assumed Fudge took to bribing when he'd heard money clink in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. But from how badly the Minister flushed; Harry knew his assumption was right.

"The boy is a known liar and attention seeker, why are you even talking about me when there is a mass murderer right in front of you and The Dark Lord lies on the floor?" Fudge spat out.

"Because said Dark Lord is dead and both Moody and Kingsley, two of the best Aurors of all time are protecting Black, making me trust their judgement. Williams, Savage; arrest Minister Fudge so we can get to the bottom of this properly."

"With pleasure, Ma'am," a blond-haired man stepped forward, the man with the ponytail automatically following his example and Bones turned fully to Sirius again, an unreadable expression on her face.

"So, I will need to take you in for questioning," Harry tensed beside Sirius, tightening his hold onto his godfather and Bones' expression softened. "He is technically under arrest, but Moody or Kingsley may remain with him during it all."

"Isn't that against procedure?" Sirius frowned confused as all three of them looked up to him.

"It is, but so is throwing a man into Azkaban without a trial and withholding it after being made aware of said injustice. I cannot allow the children to be there, but I can see they will not give in without a fight so I am compromising. Both Kingsley and Moody are well renowned Aurors and have the authority to take you into their personal custody should they wish to do so."

"I do," both men immediately said in unison and Harry was surprised to see a small smile form on her lips.

"I had a feeling you would both say that. With you being in their custody, they are legally allowed to remain at your side no matter what. If you wish, we could call together court to immediately give you a trial, or I could first question you personally and then arrange a trial anyway."

"Just get it all over with. A fair trial is all I've ever wanted and Moody and Kingsley have assured me that you are fair and would listen to what I have to say."

"Very well," she nodded to one of the other Aurors. "Assemble the Wizengamot; have them meet in courtroom ten. Sirius Black, You willingly give yourself up for arrest and will be placed in the custody of Kingsley Shacklebolt and Alastor Moody until your trial has been held. Do you accept those terms?"

The formal words threw Harry off, but Sirius nodded. "I accept."

"Why..."

"By wording it like that, the other Aurors and members of the Wizengamot cannot touch me without going against the law. It means I am safe from unfair prosecution," Sirius explained. "What will happen to the Death Eaters we rounded up?"

"They will be given trials of their own after yours has taken place. Kingsley made it known to me that You-Know-Who's inner circle can be recognised by a tattoo of the Dark Mark on their forearm so they will be checked and questioned accordingly."

"Several of those Death Eaters are escapees from Azkaban," Kingsley noted and Bones actually looked impressed now.

"I shall be sure to have that mentioned during your trial. You enabled the arrest of several Death Eaters and took out You-Know-Who; a threat most did not even believe to be real thanks to Fudge's actions."

"You did take it real?" Harry couldn't help but ask curiously.

"Contrary to some, I take every threat seriously, no matter how lurid it might sound at the time. I have been discretely working on the defences and abilities of my Aurors without drawing attention to myself the way Dumbledore has done over the course of the past few months. It seems I was right to take the precautions, even if they no longer seem necessary."

"Ah...Albus is among those Death Eaters. He was detained by the same ancient magic that determined him to be enemy of Sirius and we have reason to believe he has been involved in several shady cases," Kingsley scratched at his chin as everyone stared at him in disbelief.

"He...we cannot take him into questioning without at least reasonable doubt," Harry was surprised by her words as he never got the impression the Ministry cared about rules all that much.

"As I was never convicted, I am the current Lord Black, right?" Sirius spoke up.

"That would be right," Bones nodded.

"Then I, as Lord Black, demand him to be taken in for questioning regarding his involvement in the kidnapping of my godson and heir on the thirty-first of October nineteen eighty-one. He ordered one of those working for him to bring my godson to him, regardless of knowing I immediately became the boy's legal guardian upon the event of his parent's deaths. He had his lackey take my godson from my care, forcing me to let him take him lest harm come to him and I demand he stand to justice for that and his continued work to keep my godson from my care."

Harry wasn't the only one who stared at Sirius utterly speechless, though Bones recovered herself quickly enough.

"That would certainly be grounds enough," she swallowed and looked a little bit overwhelmed by what was happening. "I will ensure he is questioned immediately after your trial so as the claimant you do not have to travel up and down."

"Thank you," Sirius looked up and Harry noticed Lupin, Ron and Ginny lingering near the entrance to the Atrium, the latter two looking around utterly shocked while Lupin looked nervous.

"Should I expect more people to pop up out of nowhere who should not be here?" Bones' tone had a hint of amusement in it and both Moody and Kingsley shifted sheepishly.

"Only Nymphadora Tonks and Hermione Granger are still unaccounted for. Both were injured in the battle and although healed have remained unconscious so far," Lupin spoke up. "I have relocated Miss Granger to Auror Tonks' side so they may be taken to St Mungo's together."

"And you are?"

"Remus Lupin, Madam," Lupin respectfully said as he hesitated before moving to Sirius' side.

"I see, I assume you are the link between my Aurors and Mister Black?"

"He is not, Albus Dumbledore is the one who brought me into contact with Moody and Kingsley," Sirius cut off any reply Lupin might've given. "He was aware of my innocence, but not involved."

"I've stayed at the sidelines long enough without speaking up. I am involved, Sirius. Have been since I learned of your innocence of both being responsible for the Potters' betrayal as well as Pettigrew's death."

"You might want to move quickly," Sirius suddenly realised as he turned to Bones. "With Voldemort gone and the Death Eaters involved detained, it is likely the others are still at their lair and could be taken into custody without much of a problem."

"If there are others left, getting the location from the Death Eaters we have will ensure we can round them all up rather easily, Kingsley?" Bones' voice had turned urgent and Kingsley stepped forward.

"I shall lead these to the holding area by courtroom ten and remain with them until the trial starts or you return. You might want to start with Bellatrix Lestrange, she is You-Know-Who's right hand."

"I will go with you for that questioning as I have more information than you do and know which questions to ask," Moody growled.

"Very well," Bones turned to Sirius. "The children and Mister Lupin are technically not allowed down in the dungeons but I will make an exception until I've returned."

"I'd like that," Sirius nodded. "Though I would appreciate it if Neville could be accompanied to St Mungo's along with Tonks and Miss Granger as he has business there."

"Proudfoot will take Tonks and Miss Granger there, he could take all of them with him," Bones nodded even as Neville looked up to Sirius with huge eyes.

"I...are you sure?"

Sirius smiled at him. "Your presence might be needed to explain some things."

"I.." Neville swallowed thickly, suddenly shooting forward to wrap his arms around Sirius' waist for a long moment before stepping back with tears in his eyes. "Thank you."

"Go see them, kid."

"I will arrange for the other children to be brought back to Hogwarts after they've been checked at St Mungo's as well," Bones shot Neville and Sirius a questioning look, but didn't ask anything.

"Harry and I are not going anywhere," Luna calmly spoke up. "You may take the others along, but we are staying with Uncle Sirius."

"Luna..." Harry breathed out surprised, even though Sirius only smiled.

"You heard the lady," Sirius shrugged as Bones looked at him.

"Very well, I shall see you soon. Come along, I will take you all to Proudfoot so he can take you to St Mungo's," she ushered Ron and Ginny to follow her along with Neville and although the two red-heads looked unsure, they did not protest and followed after her meekly.

"Why are you staying with us?" Harry softly asked as he and Luna trailed after Kingsley.

"I never told you; but my Mum and Sirius were good friends at Hogwarts. I have never believed in his guilt and he is like an uncle to me. I cannot in good conscience leave him or you now, not until he is free," it still unnerved Harry quite a bit how Luna acted and her simple bluntness was both refreshing and a little scary. But he couldn't help but smile at the silent admittance that Luna cared for Sirius and wanted to be there for both him and Harry himself.

"Thank you," the answering smile he got in return was enough to tell him she knew just what he was thanking her for, blinking as Sirius stopped following Kingsley.

"Shoot."

"What is it?" Lupin turned to him.

"I forgot about Kreacher, think it can be arranged he's buried somewhere or so?"

"I'll arrange it," Kingsley called forth a different Auror. "Can you take care of the house-elf? I assume you won't want to be present even though he tried to save your life?"

"No, the only reason he acted is because the bond made him do so. He had no love for me nor I for him and would be utterly annoyed that his bond forced him to try to stop the Killing Curse from hitting me even though I was not in any real danger. Just cremate him if it's possible, I refuse to hang his head on the wall and he'd have wanted it as the next best choice," Sirius grimaced. "Sorry if that makes me sound like a total arse."

"Under any other circumstances, I'd indeed think that," Kingsley stared down at the dead elf disgusted. "But I've heard his testimony tonight and seen his behaviour towards you. He tried to have you killed tonight and led Potter into danger without regret, he will not get any compassion from me."

"I'm with him," Harry nodded as Sirius looked at him. "I know you are normally very kind to House-elves and know that elf so you are not an arse at all and your reaction is understandable."

"That elf was filled with darkness," Luna added and no other words were spoken as the Auror collected Kreacher's dead body and disappeared through one of the doors while they quietly followed after to what Harry hoped would be Sirius' freedom soon.

It did not take long at all to reach the courtroom Harry had been in just months before and he swallowed thickly at the thought of Sirius being tried before the entire Wizengamot, grateful as Sirius' hand found its way to his shoulder as they were led into a side room.

"Does anyone want anything to drink while we wait?" Kingsley asked.

"Some water would be nice," Sirius nodded; the others nodding in agreement and Kingsley quickly retrieved it from another room.

They waited in silence with Harry leaning against Sirius until Madam Bones returned; much later than expected and to Harry's surprise she looked utterly wrecked.

"We have arrested thirty-five people at the location Lestrange gave up under questioning; among them one very much alive Peter Pettigrew, thought I have a feeling you already knew that would happen," was what she greeted them with.

"We had our suspicions," Sirius admitted.

"He was brought in before the eyes of the entire Wizengamot arriving and they demanded he'd immediately be put on trial; which was presided by Alastor as he seemed to be the least surprised by that," she ran a hand through her short hair as she looked at him.

"Your name has been cleared of all charges as a result of events; you will receive a compensation for the years you've been held illegally in Azkaban and the two years you've been on the run now. Although the Wizengamot will have to discuss that properly before I can get back to you how much that amount will be as it's never happened before."

She looked at him, a small smile forming on her face as they all looked at her stunned. "You are free."

"H-how?"

"Under the influence of Veritaserum Pettigrew revealed the truth about everything; him being the Potter's Secret Keeper and the confrontation on the first of November. His involvement in the murders of Bertha Jorkins, Cedric Diggory, various others and You-Know-Who's rebirth. The Wizengamot immediately cleared you of everything and although you will have to pay a small fine for being an unregistered Animagus, you are free to go."

Harry wanted to cheer, but Sirius looked surprisingly tense.

"Just like that I'm free? Just because Pettigrew admitted to his wrongdoings?"

She hesitated and seemed to think for a moment before she sighed and took a seat across of them. "We've also already questioned Albus Dumbledore on the basis of Pettigrew's statement as he was much deeper involved than just withholding your godson from you. Many good and innocent wizards were killed because of his manipulations and inactions."

No wonder the woman looked utterly exhausted, Harry thought as he tried to process what she was telling them.

"He also knew Pettigrew was a traitor and guided him to take out those who might oppose his leadership."

"Like James and Lily," Sirius breathed out and Harry tensed as he understood what Sirius was implying.

"Yes. He withheld information that might have saved their lives and although things did not go according to plan because of you; it actually worked in his advantage."

"How did it not go according to plan?" Lupin whispered from Sirius' other side as Sirius seemed unable to speak, looking utterly wrecked.

But Harry couldn't blame him as he himself was feeling in turmoil at what Bones was revealing.

"His plan was for him to be the Secret Keeper but frame Pettigrew since he knew too much. But because Pettigrew became the Secret Keeper with you as the decoy, he could take both the Potters and you out at the same time, making it seem like you had been caught and had given the secret up under torture before you were killed."

"But I wasn't caught," Sirius frowned.

"No, you escaped an ambush set up for you the night you went after Pettigrew and when you were arrested for presumably killing Pettigrew and those twelve Muggles, he withheld a trial to ensure you would not be free to jeopardise any of his plans any further. Crouch and Minister Bagnold didn't protest as they were all for harder actions so he had no problems getting you out of the way."

"So I played right into his hands," Sirius looked stricken and rubbed a hand over his face tiredly.

"You couldn't have known," Kingsley placed a hand on his shoulder, looking pale and shocked. "None of us did."

"At least you actively went against him since escaping while we just followed his lead like sheep," Lupin tried to cheer him up.

"Hiding in a cave near Harry despite his objections and blackmailing him into allowing Harry to come to my house or he could not use it for Order business; fat lot of good that's done in thwarting his plans," Sirius snorted.

"It's more than what we did," Kingsley sighed. "Will this be brought out to the public?"

"In great detail among the clearance of Mister Black's name," Bones nodded. "You should know, he has also been questioned about Mister Potter's kidnapping."

"I thought I had to be present for that?" Sirius frowned confused.

"That was the plan, but during the questioning of his involvement it came up. He wanted to get his hands on Mister Potter after the defeat of the Dark Lord; believing that having the Potter heir under his influence would increase his overall status and influence. It is why he acted so quickly after the plan to ambush the Potters came into play, to ensure he would have his hands on him and no one else."

"Something else I assisted him with," Sirius miserably said and Harry squeezed his hand.

"You had no other choice and since you've escaped all you've done has been to try and protect me. You spent most of last year hiding in a cold cave; living off rats so you could be close to me should something happen. You've done everything you could with what you had," Harry insisted, hugging his godfather close, relieved when warm arms wrapped around him in return and held onto him tightly.

"What will happen to him now?" Luna quietly asked.

"He will be Kissed the moment you have given your consent. I asked them to wait until you had been notified of events and could decide if you had more you wished to know," Bones' expression was tight and Sirius blinked up to her.

"Your family...was he..."

"Yes, he was," Bones replied curtly and Sirius took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry."

"So am I, about everything," she shifted. "I do have some questions about today's event left, though. Alastor answered as best as he could, but he seemed to be restricted in what he could tell me about the magic you used."

"That is because I am an Unspeakable," Sirius frowned. "Or at least, I was once."

"That is not in our files..." Bones trailed off surprised.

"I never officially signed the papers. I trained three years under Saul Croaker and had just passed the final test the morning before everything went to hell," Sirius explained. "I don't think he ever got the chance to complete the procedures in place to make if official."

"If you would like; I can start up the process of reinstating you?"

"I think I will pass, if I never have to deal with the Ministry again in my life I will be quite happy."

"Understandable and I can note it down that the events fall under Unspeakable jurisdiction."

"And no one will ask questions as to what happened?" Harry asked surprised.

"No, Unspeakables answer to magic and magic alone. If they break their laws they stand trial, but they don't answer to the Ministry when it comes to what they research. Not without magic itself giving permission they can talk about something," Sirius assured him. "I could tell those present what was happening because they were witnesses, but I have not been given permission to share it any further."

"And no one shall ask you to," Amelia eyed him. "I assume you look the way you do due to those same events? Because I have seen Fudge's memory of you in Azkaban and you look quite different now. Ah...understood."

Sirius only gave her a neutral gaze that had her nodding and changing the subject.

"So, Alastor is making sure you will receive a transcript of the trials that took place already, but do you have any pressing questions left?"

"Nothing that I can think of right now. If he was convicted of kidnapping Harry from my care then I am content enough."

"He was, the sentence for that was seventy years in Azkaban since I made sure they knew he is your Heir."

"What does that have to do with it?" Harry frowned.

"The kidnapping of an Heir weights much more heavily than that of a normal child," Luna spoke up. "It is unfair since each child is important, but to the Wizengamot the kidnapping of the Heir of an Ancient and Most Noble House will weight triple as heavy than normally as it endangers the precious blood-lines."

"I'm not complaining about that for a change," Sirius hummed. "What caused the sentence of the Kiss then?"

"The conspiracy and involvement in the deaths of Charlus and Dorea Potter along with enabling the torture into insanity of Alice and Frank Longbottom. He was sentenced to life long imprisonment for his other crimes, but the Wizengamot took that extra hard."

Sirius nodded grimly, sharing a look with Lupin before he turned to Bones again. "Will anything I have to say change his sentence?"

"Not likely, why?"

"Unspeakable events," Sirius gave an apologetic smile. "But Frank and Alice Longbottom's minds healed in a healing sleep that they probably came out of a little over an hour ago; might find a few other people in the same ward undergoing the same events."

"What?!" Bones' eyes widened dramatically, her mouth falling open as she stared at Sirius.

"Neville Longbottom is aware of what happened and could tell the Healers some of what's happened to cause this change."

"So that was what that was about. You sent him there so he could be there..." Bones swallowed. "That is amazingly kind of you."

"I have my moments," Sirius pulled Harry against his side and brushed a hand over Luna's cheek. "I can't give these two their loved ones back, but I had to try for Neville."

"Is it to remain a secret?"

"That depends on what the Longbottom family's wishes are," Sirius shrugged; hiding a yawn against the back of Harry's head.

"Are you all right?" Worried, Harry looked up to his godfather.

"I'm all right. My magic is just pretty much drained by today's events."

"Your magic?"

"Didn't it feel familiar when it touched you, Harry?" Lupin softly questioned, a warm smile on his tired face. "Sirius' personal magic always materialises as soft blue."

"That was his doing?" Harry blinked as he indeed remembered thinking the blue beams of magic had felt utterly comforting and familiar. It made sense if that had been his godfather's magic reaching out and touching him. "You've got to be exhausted!"

"I could use some sleep," Sirius admitted. "But there's more still to do. You need to be returned to Hogwarts...crap, what about McGonagall?"

"I notified her of what's happened," Moody's gruff voice made them all turn. "She is understandably shocked and horrified by events but has explicitly said that you both are to return with Potter and Lovegood to Hogwarts and Madam Pomfrey insist you will spent the night there so she can look you both over thoroughly."

"Figures," Sirius' expression made Harry laugh as it was clear he knew the Matron of Hogwarts well from his own time at Hogwarts. "She is aware of my innocence?"

"Has been for some time now," Moody said. "Minerva requested I'd notified Filius Flitwick and Poppy about what had happened and the moment I told them Albus had been arrested I became aware of a curse placed upon them as neither reacted to the accusations at all."

"Could you release it?"

"Yes, with some difficulties, but I managed. Turns out both had realised what Albus was up to and tried to stop him only for him to curse them both into obedience. On top of that Poppy had been charmed not to see signs of abuses if he didn't want her to see them."

"Which is why she never tried to remove Harry from the Dursleys," Sirius realised, blinking when Moody looked away. "What?"

"She's been under that spell since the sixties and was quite upset when she realised she missed quite some obvious signs in you. And so were Filius and Minerva, quite devastated in fact."

"They knew?" Sirius seemed surprised and Harry looked at him, aware Sirius hadn't had a much happier childhood than him and had suspected a much more abusive treatment from the man's comments on occasion.

"So they weren't blind after all?" Lupin shakily asked.

"No, all the teachers except Snape seem to have been placed under that same charm to prevent them from acting when I had them report in the Hospital Wing and I visited Minerva in St Mungo's again. You might be wise to take their invitation to ease their mind a little," Moody suggested.

"I doubt I'll ever manage to escape again if I go there," Sirius smiled faintly. "I haven't forgotten Poppy's tendency to be completely overbearing when it comes to her patients."

"Better to face her now than to have her hunt you down," Moody cheekily grinned at him; the sight fairly terrifying since Harry was so used to the man's frown.

"Better give in before even attempting to resist, you mean," but there was no anger in Sirius' words as he shrugged. "I would like to see Hogwarts again as a free man, but don't you think people might panic if they see me there?"

"No offence lad, but if I hadn't seen you with my own eyes, I'd not believe this is you," Moody laughed. "And at any rate; the students will be notified of the changes immediately, Filius was calling them all out of bed for it as a matter of fact. So they will know of your innocence and I think you might want to be there at any rate to act as a sort of buffer against curious students going after your godson for information since they'll know he was there."

Harry winced and even Luna shifted uncomfortably at that, aware they'd be questioned about events constantly.

"Well, I guess that decides it then," Sirius turned to Harry. "What do you think? Would you mind if I tagged along to Hogwarts with you for a bit?"

"If it was up to me, you'd remain there for the rest of my time there," Harry snorted. "I'm not letting you out of my sight any time soon."

"I guess it will be up to me then to collect some of your things and bring them to Hogwarts," Lupin smiled. "I doubt Poppy will let you go any time soon so I'll pack enough that you can remain until the end of term."

"You make that sound like I'm not going to drag you along with me," Sirius protested. "No...not a chance, you are not leaving me alone with that woman, and that's final."

Harry personally thought that Lupin didn't really put up any objection despite his muttering and grinned. "It'll be nice to have you there again as well. Maybe you can even take over from Umbridge and ensure the younger years actually have some fun in class these last few weeks."

"I highly doubt parents will like that," Lupin snorted.

"Why would they complain? From what I've heard you were a brilliant teacher and very much liked," Sirius frowned.

"Sirius, you know why," Lupin swallowed.

"Actually, I don't," Sirius reached out to brush a hand over Lupin's cheek, making the man blink before realisation came to him and a hesitant smile crossed his lips. "I think you should reapply for the position by McGonagall. I'm sure she'd be happy to hire you again."

"The position will be open as Dolores Umbridge has been arrested on Minerva's orders, something about mistreating students and being an evil toad," Moody smiled as both Luna and Harry burst out in laughter. "I had a feeling you'd agree about that. Add to that, Snape's been arrested as well while I was at it. He will be questioned thoroughly for his involvement in Dumbledore's schemes as Dumbledore revealed quite a bit the man was involved with."

"Will he return to Hogwarts?" Harry grimaced.

"No, I've found quite some evidence of complaining parents about his teaching methods so even if for some insane reason he would not be convicted, he will not return."

"Sounds like they will need a Potions teacher as well, then," Lupin looked at Sirius, who blinked before barking out a laugh.

"I've just gotten free and you're already trying to get me to find a job?"

"How about I'll apply for a position if you do so as well?" Lupin bargained, making Harry laugh as Sirius spluttered.

"I seem to remember you've always been quite good at Potions," Moody hinted with a barely hidden grin.

"Pup, they are ganging up on me," Sirius whined.

"I'm with them," Harry laughed. "You can't be worse than Snape and I'd love to have you at Hogwarts all year."

"It would be quite nice, Mum always told me that you were a very good student and quite talented at Potions," Luna smiled as Sirius just stared at all four of them in disbelief.

"Sounds to me like everyone wants you to apply for the job," Bones chuckled, having retrieved a bunch of papers without Harry noticing she had left, papers she now placed before Sirius.

"These are official papers stating your guardianship of Mister Potter here; I had one of the Aurors dig into it after you mentioned he was your heir. If you sign these, he will be officially signed over into your custody. The last few are statements we've managed to uncover; signed by James and Lily Potter that you are indeed Mister Potter's assigned guardian upon the event of their incapacity, filed into the Ministry archives on the first of August nineteen eighty. These are your copies, which you should have gotten along with the custody papers to file automatically the day they were killed, but clearly that didn't work out as it should've have. I truly am sorry for the severe lack of justice you received from the Ministry."

Harry hardly had eyes for Bones' stricken face as Sirius accepted the Quill she had placed on the table before them and watched with a hammering heart as his godfather skimmed through the pages rapidly to check they were indeed legit before he signed them.

"What does this mean?" He whispered as Sirius signed the second pair as well before Bones handed him one bunch.

"That you are now officially in my care and I'll curse the hell out of anyone who ever dares to try and take you from me again, and can now legally do so," Sirius beamed at him, something Harry was fairly sure only grew as he threw himself at his godfather again in sheer happiness.

Happiness that did not diminish even remotely as they eventually made their way to Hogwarts; where Madam Pomfrey as suspected quite literally forced Sirius into her care and kept him there for several long days despite nothing being wrong with him.

A feeling that only grew as Lu-Remus, as the man requested to be called by him, finally managed to convince Sirius to apply for the position of Potions Master but was instead hired as Transfiguration teacher upon McGonagall's return from St Mungo's as she'd be unable to continue teaching with her new position of Headmistress.

Remus was reinstated as Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, something most of the students cheered about while Sirius managed to talk Tonks' mother; his cousin, into applying for the position of Potions Mistress, which she got.

The last few weeks of term passed by in a blur as Neville returned to hug the living day light out of Sirius at any opportunity that rose and tell them all about how his parents were recuperating their bodies now that their minds were healed.

Tonks and Hermione had both been cleared at St Mungo's after having regained consciousness and not even Hermione's constant grumbling of "I told you so" could make a dent in Harry's utterly blissful state.

He spent the last few weeks of terms alternating between getting to know Neville and Luna more properly and joining Neville in some extra Potions tutoring from Sirius on the boy's own request and spending long afternoons just talking to his godfather about absolutely everything.

They moved out of Grimmauld Place immediately and found a home in Remus' old house; the two most comfortable staying close together and Harry found that he absolutely loved their new dynamics as he grew closer to Remus as well, getting to know the man properly as well.

He was aware that this constant bliss would eventually be broken as the Wizarding World got over its shock at what had been revealed; Bones having been utterly thorough and merciless, kicking those who'd been corrupt from their places and instating those she felt were righteous in their place.

He knew Moody had rejoined the Ministry to help her and Kingsley make clean ship and even Arthur Weasley had been roped into helping there; making a promotion into a position Harry felt the man deserved very much; something most of the Wizarding World agreed upon as the vote was unanimous.

The Wizarding World was changing for the better under their guidance and Harry himself couldn't be happier as he tackled his godfather in a hug, making the man laugh and pull him into one.

All was well.


End file.
